Improvement in potato-diggers



J. NORTON.

POTATO BIGGER.

No. 193,542. Patented. July 24,1877.

NJETERS, PHOTOUTHOGRA'FHH. WASHINGT N. D c.

TENT CFFICE.

JAMES NORTON, OF HIGHTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-DIGGERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [93,542, dated July 24,1877; application filed May 28, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES NORTON, ofHightstown, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Diggers; and I dohereby declare that the followin g is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form apart of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a potato-digger, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure lis a plan view of my improved potato-digger. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection of the same. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detailed views of partsthereof.

A A represent two parallel hounds, between the front ends of which thetongue B is pivoted. G is a metal frame of any suitable form, fastenedto the under sides of the hounds A. To the rear ends of the hounds, onthe under side, is secured the plow-beam D, which is curvedsubstantially as shown, and has the plow E secured to its lower frontend.

G represents the main shaft or axle, and H H are the wheels placed onthe ends thereof. Both of these wheels may be made fast on the axle,or'they may be connected with it by an ordinary pawl-and-ratchet devicelocated in the hub of the wheel, and so arranged that when the machinemoves forward the axle will be turned by the wheel; but when the wheelturns backward it will turn on the axle.

Toconnect the iron frame 0 with the main shaft or axle, and transmit therevolving motion of the latter-increased in speedto the crank located inthe frame, which frame is raised or lowered, as occasion requires, toavoid digging at the ends, and dig just deep enough when at work, I haveconstructed a double parallel link-box, consisting of double boxes I I,connected by one or more crossbars, I, carrying at their outer ends themain shaft or axle G. At their inner ends they carry the crank-shaft J,and between these two shafts they carry the speed-shaft K.

The double boxes are connected near their ends by bolts a, and areattached to the frame 0 by clips b b, surrounding that part of theboxing in which the crank-shaft J is placed, so that the center of saidshaft forms the axis on which the frame turns in raising and loweringthe same.

On the axle G is a large spur-wheel, L, which drives a pinion, d, on thespeed-shaft ,K, and on this shaft is secured an internal gear-wheel, M,which drives a pinion, e, on the crank-shaft J.

The driving-wheels H H serve three purposes, viz., to carry the machinefrom place to place, often over hard roads and even pavements, to drivethe shaker, and to regulate the movement of the plow or shovel.

To secure these objects I raise a thin flange, h, in the center aroundthe outer rim of the wheel, and also provide the same at properinternals with a series of teeth, i, transversely across the rim. Theflange h is made as high as the teeth, thereby protecting the latterfrom breakage, strengthening the rim in the best possible manner, andgiving the machine a smooth passage over hard roads and. stony places.It also causes the raw earth to scour and slip off the rim, which wouldotherwise fill up the spaces wanted to be kept open.

The sides of the rim h are made concave, as shown Fig. 5, whereby thedirt much more easily clears itself, and the lateral movement of theplow is regulated even if the land is more or less siding.

P represents the shaker pivoted through its center at the front endbeneath the plow or shovel E. One of the prongs R of the shaker isextended forming a light bow upward, and attached to one arm of anelbow-lever, S, pivoted to the under side of the frame 0, and the otherarm of this lever connected by a pitman, 0, with the crank-shaft J, thesaid prong R thus conveying motion to the shaker.

The shaker thus has one center below and one above, on which itoscillates, which works lighter and easier, and is less liable to getout of repair than where the shaker works alone on centers or guides inthe frame above, while the rapid vibration of the bow R prevents thelodgment of the vines on the bow or the beam that carries them at oneend, while the other end sets in cast sockets n, formed in the metalframe 0 above, to which it is attached by the clips b. And While Itransmit an accelerated speed through this movable link-boxing, itallows the plowing apparatus to be raised or lowered without changingthe distance of the crank from the shaker and plow. Thus it is cheap,simple, efficient, and obviates the difficulty of keeping the plowingparts firmly to the tongue, while the plows may be raised .or loweredwithout affecting the necessary length of the crankpitman, or interferewith the.

revolution of the shaftin'g.

I do, however, not confine myself 1 to the particular arrangement ofthegearing shown and described, nor to having two .shafts besides the axle,forthe gearing may be changed at pleasure, and I may sometimes dispensewith the intermediate or speed shaft K.

Babbitt metal or other soft-metal filling may be used in the boxes, ifdesired. The connection I between the double boxing I I may also bearranged in any suitable manner, and one or more of such connecting-barsmay be used as deemed most advantageous.

The parallel boxing I I is held in position by a connecting-link, 1),attached to the connecthand.

ing-bar at some place near the main axle, and the other end attached toan adjustable lever, V, working in connection with a notched segment, W,in the following manner: On the outer end of the lever V is a loosehandle, V, which the operator will grasp firmly with one (He drives-withthe other hand.) He then presses his thumb on the end of the lever,which slips the handle toward the thumb, thereby withdrawing the pawl ordog 1) (connected to said handle) from the notch in the segment W, andsaid dog is then carried above said segment .until-theproper position ofthe lever is attained, when the thumb is lifted and the dog falls intothe selected notch again.

Though no spring is necessary, still one may be applied to holdthe dogin the notch.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Leters Patent, is-

1. The oscillating bow R, carrying a shaker, P, and swinging on onecenter beneath the plow, and another in the frame above it, incombination with a fixed plow or shovel, substantially as and for thepurposes herein set forth.

2. The parallel swing-boxes I, axle G, frame .0, and shafts K and J, incombination with the oscillating bow R, carrying the shaker I,constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

,In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES NORTON.

Witnesses EDWARD RPIGKERING, S. B. (JROSHAW.

